Uygur act a political manipulation, Xinjiang govt says

The so-called Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act passed by the United States is based on severe distorted facts of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The move, which seriously violates international law, is nothing but political manipulation, a spokesman of the regional government said.

The act, which was signed into law by US President Joe Biden on Thursday, imposes sanctions on individuals responsible for "forced labor" in the region. Cotton, tomatoes, and polysilicon used in solar-panel manufacturing are designated "high priority" for enforcement action.

"The fact is that Xinjiang prohibits any forms of ethnic discrimination and forced labor. People's wills are respected and their rights are protected by law," Xu Guixiang, a spokesman of the regional government, said at a news conference held in Beijing on Saturday.

The US' latest move to contain China's development via so-called Xinjiang issues won't affect the region's development. The so-called allegations of "forced labor" is just a vicious lie concocted by anti-China forces, Xu said.

In fact, Xinjiang's actions of protecting people's labor rights and interests have proven to be good practices suitable for less developed ethnic regions, Mehfulat Kanji, a professor of Xinjiang Normal University, said.

"The regional government has been helping people from different areas, ethnicities and development levels finding quality employments, which is quite an achievement," Mehfulat said.

Also on Saturday, the China National Textile and Apparel Council firmly opposed the passage of the act, it said in a statement.

The act tries to impose the label of "forced labor" on all commodities produced in Xinjiang in the way of "presumption of guilt". It sets a bad and dangerous precedent in international economic and trade rules, the council said.

The US' measures of banning imports from Xinjiang and issuing malicious threats against multinational companies' independent procurement of Xinjiang products violates fair and reasonable market economy and free trade rules. In essence, it is a bullying behavior that seriously violates the basic human rights of people in Xinjiang, and interferes and destroys international supply chains, the statement said.

In the past few years, cotton planting and production in Xinjiang has remained stable, and the local textile and garment industry has developed rapidly, which has played an important role in promoting regional economic development. Also, high-quality cotton produced in Xinjiang has met the rigorous consumption demand for cotton textiles and clothing globally, the statement said.

This year, the total cotton output in Xinjiang reached 5.13 million metric tons, accounting for about 20 percent of the total cotton output globally, the council said.

The council also vows to work closely with global partners to eliminate interference and fully ensure the normal operation of the international textile and garment industry chain supply chain.